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It may be nearly 7,000 miles away in a totalitarian state, but there is a hint of Silicon Valley about Tencent, China’s largest listed internet business.

The company is cultivating a cuddly corporate image, similar to its Californian counterparts. It has a cute penguin mascot, and blue inflatable letters hang from the ceiling of its Shenzhen offices, urging staff to “be the best”. However, there is a buttoned-up uniformity that you would not expect at the HQ of a US tech giant. Staff buzz around the lobby in aquamarine blazers and white cravats like air stewards.